Proper Ski Scraping & Brushing | Guide for Fast Gliding

After ironing in, the wax must first cool completely. Depending on the product, you should allow the wax 30 to 60 minutes to cool down.

If a ski is not in use, it is recommended to leave the ski waxed.

Only when the wax has hardened should scraping begin.

This ensures:

• clean wax removal
  
• consistent results
  
• less material loss
  

Those who start too early risk uneven surfaces and poorer results.

A sharp plexiglass scraper is used for scraping.

A good scraper:

• lies flat on the base
  
• has no damage
  
• has a sharp edge
  
• removes wax evenly
  

Even small damages to the blade can cause scratches in the base.

The right technique

The scraper is held with both hands and moved evenly from tip to tail.

Important:

• even pressure
  
• long strokes
  
• process the entire base width
  

The goal is to remove all excess wax from the surface.

Where to scrape first?

The following order has proven effective:

1. Base surface

First, the entire running surface is worked on.

2. Edge area

Then, wax is removed along the steel edges.

3. Structure control

After scraping, the base structure should be visible again.

Common Mistakes When Scraping

Removing Too Little Wax

The most common mistake of all.

Many skis feel fast immediately after waxing, but lose significant speed after just a few turns.

Dull Scraper Blade

A dull blade does not remove the wax cleanly.

Too Much Pressure

More pressure does not lead to better results.

A clean blade works by its sharpness, not by force.

After scraping, there is still wax in the fine structures of the base.

However, these structures are crucial for water drainage.

Brushing ensures that:

• the structure is exposed
  
• excess wax residue is removed
  
• the base becomes faster
  
• the gliding properties are improved
  

Only now does a truly race-ready ski emerge.

After scraping, the ski is not yet finished. Even if the base surface appears clean, there is still wax in the structure. This structure needs to be exposed so that the ski can glide quickly.

Professional brushing does not involve using a single brush. The correct sequence is crucial – from coarser cleaning to a fine finish.

Types of Brushes and Their Applications

Steel Brush

The steel brush is mainly used for cleaning after a day of skiing or as the first brush after scraping in speed disciplines such as Super-G or downhill.

It is more aggressive than other brushes and should therefore be used carefully.

Area of application:

Cleaning after a day of skiing

First brush after scraping in speed disciplines

Exposing heavily clogged structures

Bronze or Brass Brush

The bronze or brass brush is the first choice after scraping when wax needs to be roughly removed from the structure.

It is less aggressive than steel, but effective enough to open up the structure cleanly.

Area of application:

• first brush after scraping
• rough removal of wax from the structure
• preparation for finer brushes

Tampico Brush

The Tampico brush is made of natural bristles and is used after steel or bronze brushes.

It cleans the structure more thoroughly and prepares the base for finer brushing.

Application:

• Cleaning after steel or bronze brush
• Medium brushing
• Preparation for horsehair brush

Horsehair Brush

The horsehair brush follows the Tampico brush. It is used for fine brushing and ensures that the base becomes more even and cleaner.

Area of application:

• fine brushing
• race ski preparation
• preparation for the finish

Soft Nylon

A soft nylon brush is used as a finishing brush. It ensures a particularly smooth base finish.

For race skis, it is specifically used at the end to create the final polish.

Area of use:

• Finish
• Smooth base finish
• Race ski preparation

Microsteel

Microsteel is a special finishing brush for specific race finish waxes.

This brush is not a standard tool for every preparation but is specifically used for certain finishing applications.

Application:

• special race finish waxes
• race service
• selected finishing steps

Merino Brush

The merino brush is used as a final step to reduce static charge after nylon brushing.

Important: The merino roller should be cleaned with a scraper before each use to ensure no lint remains on the ski.

Area of application:

• Final step of preparation
• Reduction of static charge
• Clean finish after nylon

Both variants have their advantages.

Rotor Brushes

Rotor brushes save effort, deliver consistent results, and are significantly faster. They are particularly suitable for Tampico, horsehair, nylon, and merino.

It is important that rotor brushes are always used in the same working direction. It is best to mark the direction of rotation directly on the brush.

Hand Brushes

Hand brushes are particularly suitable for steel and bronze brushes. Rotary variants can be too aggressive here, especially if too much pressure is applied.

When using hand brushes, always work from the tip to the tail of the ski.

The following sequence corresponds to a professional race ski preparation:

1. Steel or bronze hand brush

Work with 2 to 3 passes from tip to tail.

This brush removes coarse wax residue from the structure and opens up the base for the next steps.

Recommendation:

• Steel for speed disciplines or heavily clogged structures
• Bronze/brass as standard after scraping

2. Tampico Rotary Brush

The Tampico rotary brush is used in the following sequence:

forward – backward – forward

You work in both directions to thoroughly clean the structure and further loosen wax residues.

3. Horsehair Rotary Brush

The horsehair rotary brush is also used in both directions.

Finally, a last pass is made from front to back, i.e., from the shovel to the tail of the ski.

This refines the structure and prepares the finish.

4. Soft Nylon Brush

The soft nylon brush is only used for racing skis.

Work with 1 to 3 passes. The final stroke is always from front to back.

This creates a particularly smooth base structure.

5. Merino brush

Finally, the merino brush is used to reduce static electricity.

Before each use, the merino roller should be cleaned with a pull-off blade to ensure no lint is left on the ski.

Why this order is important

The brush order follows a clear principle:

First, the structure is opened roughly, then cleaned, then refined, and finally, the finish is stabilized.

A brush that is too soft at the beginning will not remove enough wax from the structure. A brush that is too aggressive at the end can worsen the finish.

Therefore, the order is crucial:

1. Steel or Bronze
2. Tampico
3. Horsehair
4. Nylon soft
5. Merino

Only working with nylon

A nylon brush alone is not enough for a complete racing ski preparation. It is primarily suitable for finishing.

Brushing too little

If wax remains in the structure, the ski cannot glide freely.

Using steel or bronze too aggressively

Especially with steel and bronze brushes, controlled work is important. Therefore, hand brushes are often the better choice here.

Using rotary brushes without a direction of rotation

Rotary brushes should always be used in the same working direction. Therefore, clearly mark the brush.

Not cleaning merino

If the merino roller is not cleaned before use, lint can remain on the ski.

A correctly waxed ski only becomes truly fast through proper scraping and brushing. The structure must be cleanly exposed without destroying the finish.

For professional race ski preparation, you work systematically from coarse to fine:

steel or bronze, Tampico, horsehair, soft nylon, and merino.

This creates a clean, fast base with optimal structure and a perfect finish.